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Monday, 31 March 2014

MARGOT ROBBIE does the SPLITS AT PILATES




I, like the rest of the world, am obsessed with Margot Robbie. And when I saw a photo of her doing the vertical splits in a Pilates class, I fell a little more in love with her and her limber ways. 


Everyone in Hollywood seems to be jumping on the Pilates bandwagon, with loads of celebrities attending the Ballet Bodies studio in LA over the past few weeks. Australian actress Margot Robbie posted a photo of herself in a strenuous pose on the Pilates Cadillac machine just last week, which saw her gain several more thousand followers on her new Instagram account! The 23-year-old stunner cheekily posted the above photo on her social media account with the words 'I can do it too!' 

It appears that the Wolf of Wall Street star has taken to Pilates like a fish in water, as she performed some gravity defying vertical splits on the machine with ease. The homegrown actress has come very far from her early days on the small screen on sitcom Neighbours to now appearing side by side with Leonardo DiCaprio in one of the biggest movies in 2014. 

Margot admits that she is a self-confessed tomboy and loves to run, play ice hockey and surf. She also has a history with dance and used to be in a dance group including ballet & jazz when she was in high school. Most recently the toned star has been working out on the set of her upcoming move, Z for Zachariah in New Zealand, where she plays the survivor of a nuclear attack. The fit star spends most of the movie lifting heavy rocks, logs and running through the rugged NZ bush! We guess that Robbie may have felt right at home shooting this movie, as she grew up on her family farm in Dalby. 

When it comes to eating, the beauty admits that she's not too strict on herself. Margot recently told GQ magazine, "I don't have a very good diet. I love beer, fries and burgers, but if I have to get in a bikini then I eat carrot sticks for three days. I'm one extreme or the other. I'm not good at doing moderation. I get miserable if I don't eat. I can't just have a salad every day and half a glass of wine every second day. Can't do it." Nice to know Margot is part human like us! Not that we are condoning her carrot stick diet! 

Want to get lean limbs like Margot Robbie and have some fun on the Pilates mat, reformer and wunda chair? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com


x Emily 



Images by dailymail.co.uk. 

NO-FUSS LEEK & POTATO SOUP


I’m wishing autumn away and hoping that winter comes soon with this leek & potato soup. Whilst I love the sun, there’s nothing I love more than hearty winter meals. Luckily, this soup actually tastes just as good cold as it does steaming hot (if not better). Leek & potato may sound like a bland combination, but when paired with thyme it is just magical. Thankyou to Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for the inspiration and for all your hearty & humble recipes. I love a meat-less Monday and what better way to start a week than with a filling, wholesome vegetable meal. Evans makes his own vegetable stock for this recipe, which I greatly admire (but did not 2 hours to do yesterday!). For Matthew’s recipe, pick up a copy of Feast magazine, April edition. I adjusted the recipe with a chunk less butter, less oil and less ingredients for a no-fuss soup.

INGREDIENTS


  • 2 small tablespoons Nutalex or coconut oil 
  • 2 leeks, washed & finely chopped
  • 600g low-carb potatoes, such as Kestrels, peeled & chopped evenly into small cubes
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 1.5 litres Massel vegetable stock or homemade 
  • roughly chopped almonds & finely chopped thyme & chives, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Melt the Nutalex or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When just melted add the leeks and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft but not burnt. 

2. Add the potato cubes, thyme sprigs and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and are falling apart when touched with a utensil. 

3. Discard the thyme sprigs and pour the soup into a blender and blend into a puree. 

Serve with a few almonds, thyme and chives sprinkled on top. 

Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 6 as a side / 3-4 as a main 
Preparation time / 15 minutes 
From pot to plate  / 35 minutes 

Sunday, 30 March 2014

ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO'S TONED PINK PILATES THIGHS







Yet another Victoria Secret model loving Pilates! Stunning model Alessandra Ambrosio was spotted just last week getting sweaty in a gruelling Pilates reformer class in LA. The makeup free mother-of-two donned hot pink leggings for the workout which looked amazing on her lean, muscly legs. Whilst her Pilates class was very full, Ambrosio stayed focused and worked hard, showing off some very impressive core strength! 

The 32-year-old famous model knows she has to work hard to maintain her sculpted body. Just a week ago Alessandra sat down with her fellow angel Behati Prinsloo to dish on her life as a Victoria Secret model. Both ladies explained that it is not all glitz & glamour and that they have to workout a lot to fit into their costumes! Ambrosio reminisced about having to be very fit when she walked down the runaway four months pregnant with her first child in 2011. Alessandra had to wear the heaviest wings ever worn in a VS show - 27 kilograms of jewels! The next year (2012) the young mum returned to the catwalk a mere three months after giving birth and had to wear the 20-carat Fantasy bra for the VS show. "My preparation for this feat was intense...You work out as an athlete. All your mind, all your everything goes into it....but what better motivation to get into shape than to be wearing a ($2.5) million dollar bra?!" 

Alessandra insists that she workouts all year round, not just when she has a big show coming up. The toned model maintains a strict exercise regime and eats very healthily. She loves to stay fit by going to her Pilates classes, frequenting the gym and by jumping on trampolines whenever she gets the chance! (see photo above). 

It appears that nothing can stop this fit model & mum, as she recently launched her very own casual clothing line on top of all her other projects. Keep an eye out for her bohemian designs that will be stocked exclusively at Planet Blue. 

We hate to burst your bubble but you may not ever look exactly like Alessandra, but you can tone, trim and firm up at Premium Pilates Studio!! Call us today on 0402 680 724 or visit our website at premiumpilatesstudio.com

x Emily 




Images from dailymail.co.uk. 

COCONUT MILK CHIA PUDDING


I’m a huge fan of chia seeds and incorporate them into my daily diet, whether it’s a tablespoon mixed in with muesli, blended in with a smoothie or sprinkled on top of a salad. My newest obsession is chia puddings, a healthy alterative to the dessert cravings I often suffer from. Very easy to make, these puddings are budget-friendly, filling and a wonderful alternative to yoghurt for my lactose allergic buddies out there.  A massive thanks to my friends Kate and Courtney for sharing these with me!


To read more about the benefits of chia seeds and why you need these in your diet, clink on this link to see a post in January I did about this superfood;http://soulfulsandwiches.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/antipasto-salad-with-buffalo-mozzarella.html.


INGREDIENTS

  • 400ml (1 1/2 cups) light coconut milk (or coconut cream, oat milk, rice milk, almond milk, quinoa milk, cow's milk)
  • 1/3 cup chia seeds (white or black or a mixture of both)
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of honey (or a natural sweetener of your choice)
  • 2 tablespoons shredded coconut 
  • 1 small handful of chopped up fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc)

PREPARATION 

1. Pour 400ml of the milk of your choice and chia seeds in a jar with a screw-top lid. Screw the lid on tightly and then shake the jar vigorously until the chia seeds have mixed in nicely with the milk. Add the honey and coconut pieces to the jar and shake well again with the lid on. 

2. Place in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove after this time and shake the jar well. Place back in the fridge for another 3 hours or until the chia seeds have become gelatinous and formed a pudding thick consistency. Serve cold, topped with a small serving of fresh fruit. 

Serves / 2 - 4
Total Preparation time / maximum 5 minutes 
Total Refrigeration time / 4 hours 

x Emily 

Sunday, 23 March 2014

ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY HANGS UPSIDE DOWN at PILATES





English model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is very disciplined when it comes to maintaining her supermodel body and loves nothing more than a gruelling Pilates workout. The stunning Victoria Secret model was more than happy to put her recent Pilates workout on the Cadillac machine (pictured above) on social media for all to see! 


The 27 year-old looked picture perfect even when she was hanging upside down on the apparatus - which actually is much tougher on the core, arms and legs than it looks! The world famous model loves to attend Ballet Bodies fitness studio in LA to get her Pilates on and was spotted there just last Thursday night. 

Rosie captioned the above photos on her twitter account with 'Stretching out @balletbodies today'...thankyou @balletbodies for keeping me strong!' The super toned model is well aware that her sculptured abs and lean, slender limbs would not look as trim as they currently do without her regular Pilates class. 

What we love about Rosie is that she is destroying the all-too-common generalisation that slim models do not workout and are not strong. When Rosie isn't attending a ballet-inspired Pilates class at her favourite studio, she attends tough morning workouts at the Tracy Anderson Gym in LA to keep her trim body in shape for the runway and for the big screen. 

Huntington-Whiteley also loves to attend yoga classes as well as hike, run and workout with her PT James Duigan. Rosie has included a fish oil supplement into her diet to assist in burning fat around the stomach and decreasing inflammation, thanks to Duigan's advice. Duigan speaks out about another of Rosie's healthy eating secrets; 'Rosie makes a mean guacamole, which is a filling and nutrient-dense snack...about half an avocado a day is the perfect way to include fat-fighting food in your diet.'

Rosie knows that staying fit and healthy involves a holistic approach. 'It’s so simple to get into shape, have more energy and glowing skin by eating the right food. James has taught me that looking your best comes from having good health. Health reflects in your skin, body and hair and gives you a natural glow.'

Unfortunately Premium Pilates Studio does not possess a Cadillac machine, so we cannot hang upside down like Rosie! We do have some fierce looking reformer machines in our studio, as well as regular matwork classes. Call us today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com.  


x Emily 



Images from womensfitness.net, dailymail.co.uk. 

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

THE HEALTHIEST LATE-NIGHT FOODS


Ever start craving naughty foods late at night and feel like you simply cannot go to sleep until you consume them? I know this feeling very well and have trained my body to change these habits due to my early morning, late night schedule. Below are some strategies for dealing with these natural cravings for sweet, salty & starchy foods that your body is programmed to desire at night! 

1.  Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
I know that it can be difficult to find time to eat during your busy day, especially if you are relying on a takeaway lunch and vending machine snacks. Get up a few minutes earlier than usual each morning (or stay up a few more minutes at night) to prepare snacks that you think you will need for your working day. Pack leftover dinner, fresh fruit or cut up carrot, celery, zucchini and/or cucumber sticks. One of my favourite snacks at work is a hard boiled egg, as it is a meal in itself. Don't have a fridge at work or travel in your car during the day? Throw some mixed nuts and dried fruit into a small container or make your own goodie balls using these ingredients for a tasty, filling & healthy on-the-go snack. My rule is to always pack more snacks that I think I could ever possibly eat, that way you do not run the risk of running out of food and being tempted to buy crap. You'll also snack a lot during the day, which will decrease your appetite for dinner and late night feasting. And I do not want to hear that you don't have time to prepare snacks; its a poor excuse! I wake up at 4:30am for work every day and usually do not get home from work or finish work until 9pm and I find the time, so you can too! All it requires is an attitude shift and perhaps a 10 minute sacrifice of extra sleep.

2. Eat the majority of your calories before 7pm 
Do you recall this saying; 'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper'? Truer words were never spoken. Go large at breakfast and lunch. I try to eat my main meal around 12pm every day, as I know that if I eat after 1 or 2pm I will not be touching any more food until at least 7 or 8pm. Fill your body with lots of good, healthy food during the day so when you crash at home at night you are less likely to try to 'catch up with calories' and consume the bulk of your daily kilojoules then. 

3. The later the dinner, the lighter the meal
This is something I struggled with for a long time, as I often do not get home from work until 9pm. What I finally realised was that eating heavy, carbohydrate-rich dinners late at night was not only leading to weight gain, it also meant that I woke up for work the next morning not hungry and skipping breakfast (the most important meal of the day!). As you can see, this can lead to a rather vicious weekly cycle. Nowadays when I get home late at night, I cook up an omelette or a filling, yet light salad. A light piece of fish like salmon or a tin of tuna will also go down nicely after 7pm. This does not mean that I never indulge in pasta or rice or noodles; I just pick my timing and usually eat these meals on the weekend at around 5 or 6pm so they have plenty of time to digest. This also means that I look forward to these meals and think of them as a 'special treat'. 

4. Use your freezer
I'll admit that myself and my fiancé are quite big eaters so we often do not have any of our meals left over to freeze! However, if it was just myself at home I would definitely utilise my freezer as a means to prevent late night dinner blowouts. Freezing a healthy meal you have made yourself is a much better scenario than coming home starving to an empty fridge and reaching for a convenient bag of chips or ordering oily takeaway. Try to cook an extra serving or two of what you make for dinner on Sunday or Monday and you will be set for half of that week. Remember to freeze individual serves so you eat a small portion size and are not tempted to eat more than one serving. 

5. Keep your pantry & fridge well stocked
I may not often follow point 4 above, but I certainly keep my pantry filled to the brim. My pantry looks like I am getting ready to hibernate for winter. I always keep tinned beans, corn & rice crackers, nuts, dried fruit and healthy tinned soups on hand. My fridge is constantly bursting at the seams with eggs, fresh fruit & vegetables, other salad ingredients and leftovers from the day before. I overstock my kitchen with supplies for a few reasons; the most prevalent to this discussion being that I feel very guilty if I have to throw anything away at the end of the week, therefore I am constantly making healthy meals to use up all my produce! 

Emily's 5 top late-night dinners

1. An omelette with fresh tomato, onion & herbs. 
2. A salad with hard-boiled eggs, beans and balsamic vinegar
3. A baked sweet potato stuffed with beans, corn & chicken
4. Lentil salad, featuring brown lentils, diced tomatoes & cucumbers, parsley with a garlic, lemon & lime juice
5. A filling smoothie with a protein supplement 

x Emily 

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

KILL BILL STAR UMA THURMAN MAINTAINS A TONED WAIST with PILATES




Actress, model and mother Uma Thurman knows the secret to a toned, tiny waist: PILATES! The mum-of-three stepped out recently with an hourglass figure that defies her 43 years. Thurman's slim torso & thighs is due to an exercise regime that includes frequent Pilates, walking and Yoga. Uma is very sporty and also loves to do snowboard, ski and horse ride whenever she gets the chance. 


Thurman has been spotted on a few transatlantic flights practising her Pilates and Yoga moves in the aisle of the plane! A firm believer in 'fitting in workouts whenever I can', passengers recall watching Uma limber up with her core strengthening and stretching positions. 'She (Thurman) started doing Pilates & Yoga moves in the aisles. She used the flight-attendant station as a ballet barre, where she stretched and did pliés for 20 minutes!,' one passenger recalls. 

Uma has been one of the fittest and most beautiful woman in show business since she was first discovered many years ago as a model. Over the years of childbirth, divorce and the filming of several gruelling movies, Thurman has taken pride in keeping her figure toned, trim and terrific. Besides regular Pilates & Yoga, the Kill Bill star is very careful regarding what she eats. Once a vegetarian, Uma eats a very healthy diet but does like to indulge with a cappuccino or a glass of wine with dinner. Thurman also confesses to loving Italian food and cookies. Uma explains that the secret to these indulgent foods not being noticeable on her body is that she regularly goes on a detox and/or a strict macrobiotic diet for a few weeks at a time. 

The stunning mother also loves to walk and be outside as much as possible. Thurman can often be spotted walking around Hollywood running errands and burning off all her cappucinos! 

Want to achieve a corset-like waist like Uma? Want to shape hard to tone up places? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com to try our Reformer and/or Matwork classes! 


Images by ourvanity.com, dailymail.co.uk, 

Sunday, 16 March 2014

RAW KEY LIME TARTS



I have to thank social media outlet Instagram for this amazing recipe, as I came across it whilst looking through my feed. Nutrionistinthekitch.com is the author of this recipe and she has an amazing website, with so many healthy, vibrant and inventive dishes listed for all to view. Friday afternoon called for some creative baking and 12 of these little bright green tarts were made in my kitchen. I do not often make raw food (as I overdosed on a raw cheesecake once (I ate too many slices) and was very very ill) however this tart is something special. Do not be scared of the green colour or the amount of avocado in the tart, as the end result tastes fresh and citrusy.

INGREDIENTS

Crust/Base
  • coconut oil, for greasing
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • heaped 1/2 cup pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes)
Filling 
  • 2 1/2 avocados
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons lime zest
  • 1/2 cup honey 
  • 2 kiwifruit, skin peeled & thinly sliced, to garnish

PREPARATION / COOKING (of some description!)

1. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin with coconut oil. 

2. Combine the coconut and walnuts in a food processor and blend until coarse. Add the dates and process until the mixture starts to stick together. You may need to add a splash of water or two to get the mixture to this point. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the date, walnut & coconut mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and press down gently, so that the mixture fills 1/3 of the hole. 

3. Place all the filling ingredients into the food processor and process until smooth. Spoon a large tablespoon of the filling into each muffin cup and smooth the top with a spoon. Place a fresh slice of kiwi fruit on top of each tart. 

4. Freeze for 60 minutes / 1 hour to set. Continue to leave in the freezer and remove a few minutes before eating by placing the tart at room temperature. 

Serves / 12
Total Preparation time
Serving size / 1 tart = 192 calories 

x Emily 

Saturday, 15 March 2014

CURRENT MATWORK CLASS TIMETABLE



Our current Matwork (floor Pilates) class timetable and prices are listed below. Please continue to check our website premiumpilatesstudio.com as these times may change in the future. We would love to have you come try a floor class with us at the studio!! Matwork pilates is fun, dynamic and is a great introduction to Pilates or an excellent addition to reformer (machine) Pilates. 

Our matwork classes are limited in numbers, therefore we encourage you to book prior to attending by either calling or texting 0402 680 724, emailing inquiries@premiumpilatesstudio.com or booking online by going to our website and creating your own account. Walk-ins will be accepted until capacity is reached.

Mats are provided for you. We encourage you to bring a water bottle and a towel. 

See you on the MAT! 

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT
5:30am5:30am5:30am5:30am5:30amclasses
coming soon
6:30am6:30am6:30am6:30am6:30am
9:30am
coming soon
5:30pm5:30pm5:30pm
6:30pm6:30pm6:30pm

Prices / Packages

Casual Class – $20
Introductory Package – $45 for 3 classes ($15 a class)
5 Pack Classes – $90 ($18 a class)
10 Pack Classes – $160 ($16 a class)

Our Pilates studio is located at Shop 2, 414 Logan Rd (next to Elizabeth De Varga and across the road from Ray White). 



x Emily & Chris 


image by http://swissbody-pilates.com